1st - 3rd April 2024

Wednesday, 3rd April: After lingering overnight rain, a murky and windy morning, initially from the south before freshening as it shifted to the west.......

Selsey Bill: There were still three Long-tailed Ducks and three Great Northern Divers about, but eastward passage was restricted to two Common Terns, 17 Sandwich Terns and a flock of 21 Brent Geese. Full log below. (PB/PM/IP/AH/SR)

(0630-0900hrs) (SW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E

diver sp - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 3E, 6W

Brent Goose - 21E

Long-tailed Duck - 3os

Common Scoter - 11E, 17W, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Turnstone - 1W

Common Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 17E

Common Tern - 2E

auk sp - 1E

(1330-1430hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 1W

Common Scoter - 5W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1os

Grey Plover - 9W

Black-tailed Godwit - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 11W, 7os (inc 5 sat on sea)

Swallow - 4N

Gannet (above) & Common Scoter at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was basically unchanged from recent days this morning, with 36 Avocets, c125 Black-tailed Godwits and four Redshanks on the pool and a Snipe and a pair of Lapwings on the field, though Teal numbers were up to c50 and Shovelers down to c30. (AH/PB/PM/TG-P/NR)

Avocets (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was bleak along the wall this morning in the wet and blustery conditions, with just a dozen Redshanks and 18 Teal out in the harbour and a Great Crested Grebe, two Tufted Ducks and two Gadwall on the Breech Pool.

A Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were further back, and in the flooded fields there were 22 Shovelers, but there were very few small birds about with just four Greenfinches along the hedgerows and two Pied Wagtails in the paddock. (LP)

Shovelers (above), Tufted Duck & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: Around Snowhill Creek this afternoon, there were two Greenshanks, at least 34 Avocets and c150 Mediterranean Gulls, with c40 Bar-tailed Godwits out in the creek. (PH)

Chichester GPs: Two first-winter Little Gulls and a Common Tern were feeding over Runcton Lake this morning, and a Kingfisher flew through, too, and two or three Sand Martins and Swallows drifted in from the east and away again, with none seen elsewhere.

There was little of note around the other pits beyond a dozen Pochards and Great Crested Grebes and c30 Tufted Ducks, whilst three Egyptian Geese flew in to Ivy Lake, where there were also four Greylag Geese and c25 Canada Geese.

The hedges just held a pair of Reed Buntings and two or three singing Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers and half a dozen Chiffchaffs. (AH/AW)

Common Tern (AW) (above), Little Gulls (AW top two, AH, lower three), Swallow, Blackcap & Reed Bunting (AH) at Chichester GPs

Tuesday, 2nd April: A bright and breezy morning, cool early on, warmer later, in the fresh southerly.......

Just a quick note for those who thought we have had a wet winter - we did! My colleague at Chichester has kept a rain gauge since 1998 - the average rainfall from October to March is 532mm; this winter it was 979mm, nearly double! (AH)

Selsey Bill: A few Brent Geese and Common Scoters went east, but it was a generally quiet morning. Full log below. (IP/OM/AH/SR/DBo et al)

(0630-1030hrs)  (S, F4)

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 3W

Gannet - 9E, 4W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 54E

Shelduck - 4E, 2W

Mallard - 2E

Common Scoter - 10E, 7os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 4W

Sandwich Tern - 9E, 3W

Willow/Chiff - 1N

Brent Geese (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank moulting into summer plumage was in Ferry channel this morning, along with c20 Redshanks, but the pool just held the regular selection of 36 Avocets, six Redshanks, c125 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Teal and c30 Shovelers. (BFF/SMo/AH)

Avocets, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Selsey: A Wheatear was on the patch of rough ground along Manor Road early this morning. (SH)

Chichester GPs: A Little Gull was on Westhampnett Pit this morning. (BI)

This afternoon there were also a Little Gull on Vinnetrow Lake and another on Runcton Lake. (HR)

West Itchenor: An Osprey headed down the channel past Itchenor befpre catching a fish and heading off north-west.

Also, a Nuthatch could be heard calling again from Park Copse, near Chalkdock. (PH)

Osprey at West Itchenor (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This morning on the Stilt Pools the highlights were five Avocets, two drake Pochards, a Wigeon, four Snipe and a Ringed Plover.

Also, out on the reserve there were three Brent Geese, 26 Shelducks and a drake Shoveler, whilst the bushes held a few singing Chiffchaffs and Yellowhammers, with singing Skylarks seemingly ever present. (RW)

North Wall: The male Marsh Harrier was showing well this morning, and c32 Cattle Egrets were split between the fields and Owl Copse, but there was barely a wader in the harbour and a couple of Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers was about it along the wall. (PB)

Church Norton: A Peregrine was out in the harbour, eating a kill, and a Cattle Egret flew over and settled to feed in the horse field, but it was very quiet otherwise, with just a dozen or so Ringed Plovers and Dunlin of note in the harbour beyond the regulars, and just one or two Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in the hedges. (AH/BFF/SMo/RS et al)

Peregrine (above), Chiffchaff & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)

Bank Holiday Monday, 1st April: The morning started quite bright in a light, but freshening southerly breeze, with heavy cloud and a bit rain pushing through before brightening again later.....

Selsey Bill: It was a much slower morning than the last few days, though there were still 73 Common Scoters and 24 Sandwich Terns east, along with 25 Mediterranean Gulls. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/KT/SR/RW/AH/AW)

(0630-0930hrs) (S, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 5E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 16E

Shelduck - 4E, 2W

Common Scoter - 73E, 3W, 5os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E

Oystercatcher - 2E

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 25E

Common Gull - 6E

Sandwich Tern - 24E

Linnet - 5

(1610-1710hrs) (SH)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 1W

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Common Scoter - 7E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 1W

Mediterranean Gulls (AW) (above) & Common Scoters (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: It was much the same as recent days this morning, with c150 Black-tailed Godwits, 36 Avocets, a dozen Teal and c30 Shovelers on the pool, with a pair of Lapwings on the field and c40 Redshanks were along the channel opposite.

The Willow Warbler was still present and singing in the Discovery Area, with a Blackcap and several Chiffchaffs about, too. (AH/KT)

Willow Warbler (above), Blackcap, Redshanks (KT) & Black-tailed Godwits (AH) at the Ferry

East Beach: A female Blackcap was in the garden this morning. (SR)

Blackcap in an East Beach garden (SR)

Church Norton: Two male Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Northern Diver were a long way offshore this morning, whilst two Sandwich Terns and a second year Common Gull were also present, whilst in the harbour there were c130 Mediterranean Gulls and a Sandwich Tern on the mud.

Also, a flock of 63 Dunlin flew into the Harbour from offshore to join half a dozen Ringed Plovers and two Grey Plovers on the mud and 12 Wigeon were in the main channel and the usual Curlews, Oystercatchers and Redshank were all present in reasonable numbers.

Otherwise, it was quiet, with just a Green Woodpecker and a pair of Great-spotted Woodpeckers t Greenlease Farm and a Song Thrush sang on and off all morning from the brambles bordering the second Several. (IP/RWh)

North Wall: Two Ruff were in he flooded fields opposite Church Barton reservoir this morning. (BI)

Ruff at the North Wall (BI)

Chichester GPs: The Guillemot was still present on Ivy Lake and a Red Kite went over(AB), whilst a Firecrest, four Blackcaps and ten Chiffchaffs were alo0ng the hedges (S&SaH).

Later, a Common Tern and three Little Gulls were on Runcton Lake. (SM/NB)

Little Gull at Chichester GPs (NB)

North Mundham: A Coal Tit was in the garden again his morning. (MJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - There were three Pochards on the stilt Pool this afternoon, along with nine Avocets, two Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin.

Also, along the banks there were two Dartford Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, two Cetti's Warblers, three Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting, whilst two Brent Geese were on the reserve and three Kestrels and four Buzzards went over. (SH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - A pair of Stonechats, a Blackcap, two or three Chiffchaffs and a dozen Linnets were at Porthole farm this morning, but the Medmerry Trail was very quiet.

A Peregrine went over the fields at Ham, upsetting the several hundred Wood Pigeons present, and a lone Swallow went over, but the banks and fields just held a handful of Skylarks and c20 Linnets. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Chiffchaff & Linnets at Medmerry (AH)